What should parents in Abu Dhabi know about the new attendance rules for the 2025–26 school year?

ADEK has tightened student attendance policies, placing more responsibility on parents to track absences. For kindergarten, missing more than 10% of school days (around 18 days) is flagged, while for Grades 1–12, exceeding 5% (around 9 days) is a concern. Absences—both excused (illness, emergencies, family loss, official events, public holidays, or ADEK-approved study leave) and unexcused—count toward these thresholds. Sick notes cover up to 3 consecutive days (max 12 per year); after that, a DOH medical certificate is required. Even excused absences require students to catch up on lessons, homework, and tests, and parents must inform the school and submit proper documentation, or the absence is marked unexcused. How are parents planning to manage these stricter attendance rules in their households?

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